Justice TylerNeil

Rough Riders

• Theodore Roosevelt

• Leonard Wood

• Theodore Roosevelt asked the Department of War permission to raise a regiment after Spain declared war on the United States on April 24, 1898.

• The regiment, consisting of over 1,250 men, from all over the United States was mainly composed of cowboys, Indians, and other Wild West types, and Ivy League athletes and aristocratic sportsmen from the East.

• They could ride and shoot and were in shape, which meant that they would be ready to go to war with little training.

• The Rough Riders were part of the large American force that assembled for the assault on the Spanish fortifications protecting the city of Santiago.

• The regiment was assembled at San Antonio, Texas in May and shipped out to Cuba from Tampa, Florida minus the horses on June 14, 1898.

• The Rough Riders landed at Daiquiri, Cuba on June 22, and saw their first action in the Battle of Las Guasimas on June 24.

• On the night of June 30, the eve of the big battle, Colonel Leonard Wood was promoted in the field to Brigadier General and Theodore Roosevelt was made Colonel of the Rough Riders.

• Half of the Rough Rider infantry was accidentally left behind to fight in the Battle of San Juan Hill

• the Rough Riders were given all credit for the victory at San Juan Hill

• and the tenth Calvary was given none

• The unit was mustered out on September 14, 1898 this was the end of the Rough Riders

• TOTAL ENLISTED LOSSES: 95